Feb. 1907.J 



109 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Some Hints for Village Agriculturists. 



By M. AVi.tayanayaka. 

 Since the Ceylon Agricultural Society has undertaken to appoint a number 

 of Agricultural Instructors I beg to commend the following hints to those who 

 are really interested in the welfare of the agricultural classes, so that all concerned 

 may be able to make the best use of the privileges offered by the Society. 



1. An Instructor can do very little without the co-operation of the headmen, 

 who are really responsible to see to the welfare of the poor. 



2. In all probability there will be only one Instructor in charge of a Pro- 

 vince, who will be stationed in the chief town of the Province. 



3. It is necessary that the chief town of each Province is made the centre 

 of the work which is carried out in the Province under the auspices of the parent 

 Society of Colombo. 



4. Each and every chief town should have a Society to which are affiliated 

 all the minor societies of the Province. There should be a minor Society in the 

 division of each chief headman who should be the head of the same. 



5. When the societies are formed steps may be taken to open up experi- 

 mental farms in the vicinity of the chief towns, under the supervision of the In- 

 structor, and minor farms in other divisions under the immediate supervision of the 

 chief headmen. 



6. At the meetings of the different societies the Instructor could explain 

 personally to the villagers the different methods adopted to make the soil give the 

 largest possible quantity of vegetable produce, for the use of man and domesticated 

 animals, at the least expense and labour and with the least injury to the soil. 

 Further, he could instruct on the new products that are being daily introduced to 

 the country by the Society ; and in the farms he could give practical demonstrations 

 on the same instructions and the use of the proper implements of Agriculture. 



I beg to conclude my remarks with the following extract from Sir J. 

 Sinclair: — " It is both the duty and interest of every owner and cultivator of the 

 soil to study the best means of rendering that soil subservient to his own and the 

 general wants of the community ; and he who introduces, beneficially, a new and 

 useful seed, plant, or shrub into his district, is a blessing and an honour to his 

 country." 



CO-OPERATIVE SAVINGS AND CREDIT SOCIETIES IN CANADA. 

 Co-operative savings and credit societies in Canada, owe their existence to 

 the altruistic purpose and able initiative of Mr. Alphonse Desjardins, a resident of 

 the city of Levis, Quebec, and one of the officials of the House of Commons, Ottawa. 

 For over ten years Mr. Desjardins has been a careful student of co-operation, and has 

 watched with interest the progress of the co-operative movement in England, France, 

 Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria and other countries. One form of co-operation, 

 in particular, has appealed strongly to him, impressed as he has been with the need 

 of encouraging thrift amongst his fellow-townsmen and countrymen, and of finding 

 for the financially feeble some means of effectively supplying the need of personal 

 credit, where merit and circumstances alike warrant and opportunity alone is lack- 

 ing. The form is spoken of as co-operative credit. 

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